What Is Transportation Like in Florida

Let's talk about transportation in Florida, because many international nurses don't realize that when you come to the US, there is some public transportation, but not a whole lot. And most international nurses have to drive or to learn to drive if they have not done so. Grace, can you share with us a little bit about what it was like for you when you came to the US and how you managed to navigate the transportation?

So actually, when we came here, me and my husband, we both had a Dubai driving license. So he took an international driver's license, and he came here. So he was able to try with that for about six months or so and then he gave the driving test and he got the floating license.

So till then, actually it's not very popular here. They mainly focus on the colleges, universities and certain institutions in such so they might not be available all the time in different locations. Even the trains are not that popular. But what I've heard is like, they are building up or planning to build up the Metro from Miami to Orlando, which is a must much more faster thing. So that should be there up and open in 2023. I think so. So it's good to have a car, otherwise you would be spending money on Uber.

Did you have your driver's license?

I had a driving license from Dubai and my husband as well. So he took an international driver's license and came here. So just with that he was able to drive around for about six months till he got the other Florida license.

So did you have driving lessons?

My husband did not take any lesson actually, he went indirectly gave the road test, he was able to get through it. For me, I did go for like two classes or something like that. Then I gave the road test. So it was pretty easy. Simple as a free I would call it. Not too stressful l like how I imagined.

That is a big worry thank goodness you and your husband both drove before but for for any international news that has not driven before very scary.

Bong, tell us about your experience with transportation in Florida?

When we first arrived in Orlando, as soon as we we had our social security number within that first week. First two weeks, went straight away to DMV and to the cars you can just walk in at that time to take the theory exam. And I passed the exam.

But anyway, you can get a reviewer from DMV, a free pocket, a manual, you can just get it from them. Review that. So that's what I did I took the exam and then I enrolled because they in the UK, it's a different side of driving and I've been driving there for a lot of years.

So I thought I might take something like a lesson to drive on the other side of the road. So I took that like an hour. I enrolled an hour prior to my exam on a third party examiner, because you can get a third party examiner you know, the driving lesson schools, they they give you exams as well. So that's what I did they took me for an hour and then I did my exam. And I passed within the two weeks, but I broke my UK driver's license anyway when I when I came here and I was able to use that on the first week.

But buses like here in Tampa, there is a route from the city of Wesley Chapel, going to the downtown Tampa and that's it. If you like to wait for hours and hours, then you take the bus ,if not, then you must drive - get your own car. We have Uber, Lifts. And that's it, they're everywhere as well but it might be too expensive to have that all the time.

Something maybe to consider initially but a good idea to try and get your your driver's license as soon as possible. And I can relate to you driving on the other side of the road Bong because I came from South Africa, which follows the British system which is on the other side of the road and that was very scary because you know, you're used to seeing things from a specific angle and then you see cars and you feel like they're coming straight for you. So it does take a little bit of getting used to but we all get there which is good.